Yellow Shirt Bangkok protest to continue

BANGKOK, May 26 - Encamped in the surroundings of Thailand's Government House since early this year, the yellow-clad People's Alliance for Democracy (PAD) movement on Thursday pledged to prolong its protest against the Democrat-led coalition government until the end of June awaiting the result of the UNESCO World Heritage Committee meeting regarding the Preah Vihear temple dispute.

Key PAD leaders Chamlong Srimuang and Prapan Koonmee read the activist group’s statement on the issue as Minister of Natural Resources and Environment Suwit Khunkitti is in Paris to meet with his Cambodian counterpart prior to the UNESCO committee meeting scheduled in late June.

Gen Chamlong said the Yellow Shirts will continue their vigil outside Thailand’s seat of government until June 29 to hear the decision of the UNESCO heritage committee.

If the World Heritage Committee postpones consideration of the Cambodian-submitted Preah Vihear management plan this year, said Gen Chamlong, the protest leaders will discuss their next move, that it whether to end the protest on June 29 or change their campaign against the government.

Gen Chamlong said the PAD agreed to set up a committee for a country-wide “vote no” campaign, beginning June 4. The committee is headed by Vice Admiral Pratheep Chuenarom.

The “vote no” campaign is a result of the PAD’s 122-day demonstration against the Abhisit administration which allegedly not responded to the yellow shirt’s demands, according to the retired general.

Mr Prapan said a PAD team will present a complaint letter at army headquarters today following government and army ‘inaction’ to protect Thailand’s sovereignty.

“The army has not done its job to protect [our] sovereignty,” the PAD activist said. “We consider this as a breach of [their] statutory duty and a violation of the law.”

The PAD began demonstrating in January demanding that the government revoke a Memorandum of Understanding signed with Cambodia in 2000 and push Cambodian troops and nationals, now occupying disputed land, back to their own territory.

The movement intensified their campaign to oust Prime Minister Abhisit after he rejected the demands.

The International Court of Justice in The Hague ruled 49 years ago that 11th-century Preah Vihear temple belongs to Cambodia, although its primary entrance lies in Thailand. However both countries claim ownership of the 4.6-square-kilometre (1.8-square-mile) surrounding area.

The WHC listed the Hindu temple as a World Heritage site in July 2008, and Cambodia proposed a sole management plan of the temple and its surrounding while the border dispute has not been resolved.

Last month Cambodia asked the World Court to clarify the 1962 ruling on the then-disputed temple but did not clarify the border issue with Thailand following the latest armed clashes between the two neighbouring countries.

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